Extreme Couponing… Extreme Hoarding!

The Learning Channel (TLC) aired a new show tonight called Extreme Couponing. This show is all about the extreme side of couponing. While I have called myself an extreme couponer to others at times, I am nothing near what these people on this show are. I think this show, like most reality shows, are showing those who are the extreme of extreme.

My theory isn’t anything near to where these people are. They are all about the deals and the savings. They would buy anything just to get the free item or the deal. My theory is that less is more. I am going to be trying in this next year to really focus in on this and live my life with that moto. I will be working to have less int he house so we have more time to do things other then clean. It will also be the rule for food and couponing and everything. We are only going to have the food we really need and the coupons we really need. Less is more

Here are a few things I saw in the show that I wanted to mention:

Couponing isn’t always extreme - I have never been that extreme in my couponing. We have what we need then we stop buying. When we need more, we start buying again.

Relationships are always more important - If something is causing you to neglect a relationship that is an important one ( ie. Marriage) you need to forget whatever is causing the problem, refocus and then see if you can fit in the other things. Mom or wife always comes before saving.

Dumpster diving for coupons is not a gross thing – After that part of the show, I saw comment after comment on facebook about how gross it was that she did that. I want to point out that she was not in any old dumpster, she was in a recycling dumpster for newspapers. These are the type of dumpsters we find our coupons in. If you can find one or 2 of these in your city, you will have more coupons then you could dream of, just don’t tell to many people or you may have a bit of competition!

Less is More - very few of them had this motto. I am all for getting good deals, but less is really more when it comes to couponing. You save money when you are shopping less. When you shop less you have more money for you and other things in your life. This is important to remember as you see these people.

If you are new to couponing, start small and work your way up - couponing isn’t competition, although those who were on the show probably feel it is. It is about saving money and any amount of money you save is a good thing. I recommend you start small and work up. You can do as little or much as you want. Don’t look at the show and think that is reality for all of us, because it isn’t.

If you are new to couponing and wanting some tips and tricks be sure to check out Becoming a Sassy Saver. This series of posts includes how to coupon, where to find coupons, how coupons are used, and what happens when a store gets a coupon. Check it out and learn what you can and then just try it. remember that sales cycle so you don’t need to run all over town to 10 different stores, just stick with one until you want to add another. You will still get all the deals just in a longer time frame.

Comments

I tend to recycle newspapers.. both clean and with pet droppings. So just on my experience, I would call dumpster diving, even in the recycling bin gross. I am sure I am not the only one that puts newspaper in my kennel.
Creating a contrast of hoarding with extreme couponing due the the physical aspects like the dumpster diving bit, is not a logical way to say that they are different. There are a lot of psychological similarities between the two. Extremism. A family member of mine shows a lot of signs of hoarderism and couponing. Her mother had become a hoarder when her father died. She was extreme in all sense of the word. Mountains of newspapers, clothes and presents she bought as gifts and never gave to people, all these items were collected and hoarded for over 30 years. She passed away nearly 10 years ago and we are still having trouble cleaning the house due to the pungent odor. The daughter exhibits the same signs, but is good with throwing some things out. Her problem is with cats, couponing, anything recyclable (mostly cans). She has 10 cats, collects a months worth of coupons from every newspaper she can get a hold of and goes to Krogers every first Wednesday of the month with her father (senior citizens discount) and will buy everything she has a coupon for. Even if it is for something she does not need. I have been shopping with her before and it turned out to be a mess. If she has 2 buy two get one free coupons for a detergent, she will buy those 4 bottles at regular price just to get the 2 free ones. Last time i checked.. she has over 10 bottles of detergent on the washing machine shelf. She stockpiles everything. She even goes to discount thrift stores like goodwill or salvation army to save money on things she doesnt need. Her other daughter also shows signs of hoarding. Newspapers, magazines, and fake costume jewelry, make up every counter space, tables, chairs, and some floors in some rooms. Her youngest son also does the extreme couponing and stockpiling. Her oldest son had the opposite effect, he will buy something he needs, and at times will throw everything away, even if it usable. Possession free in a way. I have exhibited both sides..i dont do the couponing thing, but i do tend to collect my cans and empty bottles of water, and at times I will throw a lot of things away that can be used still, like 3 months old shoes with a stain I cant get out. Every month i will buy a new pack of socks and throw away my month old socks.

The recycling bins I am talking about are ONLY for newspaper and located around the newspaper offices where the delivery people pick up and drop off the newspapers they deliver. The newspapers in these bins are only new newspapers that they didn’t sell or deliver. I wasn’t saying that the dumpster diving made the extreme couponing different, just that it was something mentioned on the show that I wanted to point out.

I think anyone could have the hoarding tendencies who coupon, that is why I really try to stress the need to only get what your family will use and NEED not just what is on sale or what you have a coupon for.